2014 Fantasy FootballAndrew Miller

2014 Fantasy Football Daily Fix: Week 14 Running Backs

DailyFixDKFeaturedImage

The following values are my recommended running back plays for Week 14 at DraftKings – the best daily fantasy sports site on the Internet. Here are the scoring settings for running backs, and if you have any more questions about DraftKings or fantasy football in general ask us on Twitter@TheFantasyFix or @44AMiller.

Expensive

Matt Forte – $8,700 vs. Dallas – In their last four games Dallas has allowed 134 yards and a touchdown to Andre Ellington, 70 yards and two scores to Denard Robinson, eight catches and 120 total yards to Rashad Jennings, and 159 rushing yards and a touchdown to LeSean McCoy. The Cowboys are giving up five more fantasy points per game to running backs in their last five games than they are on the season, and they’ve been the fourth-worst fantasy defense to running backs in the past five weeks.

Eddie Lacy – $7,800 vs. Atlanta – Lacy has scored at least 13 points in each of his last six games, and even though he didn’t score against New England he still toted the rock 21 times and caught two passes. He has at least 114 total yards in each of his last five games. Atlanta is the third-worst defense against running backs per game, and the Falcons are allowing 152 total yards per game to running backs. This should be an easy game for Lacy to rack up the points.

Reasonable

Justin Forsett – $6,900 at Miami – The Dolphins rank pretty well against running backs, but that’s mostly because they’ve limited their touchdowns allowed. Miami’s allowed 689 total yards to running backs in the five games leading up to Monday night’s game against New York. Forsett’s scored in double-digits in every game except one – when he scored 9.5 in Week 7. He’s had over 100 rushing yards in each of his last three games, and over 100 total yards in each of his last four.

LeSean McCoy – $6,400 vs. Seattle – Read Joique Bell‘s blurb below to get my opinion on some of the newer names who’ve seen their prices jump to the middle-tier recently and why I’m not recommending any of them. I’ll take McCoy even though he has a “tough” matchup, even though Seattle’s defense – which is allowing 120 total yards per game to running backs in their last five games – isn’t as good as it was last year. I’m willing to roll with what I know, and I know the Eagles will have to rely on McCoy over Mark Sanchez against the Seahawks. It helps that it’s in Philadelphia, too.

Cheap

Joique Bell – $5,500 vs. Tampa Bay – There are a lot of players whose prices have skyrocketed recently and I need to see more consistent success from them to recommend them, so it was kind of hard to fill in these middle spots. Bell’s coming off a big game like many of those who’ve seen their prices rise, but he’s been a consistent producer for over two seasons. He’s not used as much in the pass game as in recent seasons, but I’m hoping and thinking the Lions will be up in this game and will give Bell a lot of carries.

Andre Williams – $4,400 at Tennessee – Rashad Jennings injured his ankle Sunday against the Jaguars, leaving the game early. He’s confident he’ll be back this week, but if he’s not Williams would get the start against the league’s worst rush defense by yards per game and second-worst defense by running backs fantasy points per game allowed. When Jennings has had double-digit carries this season he’s scored double-digits in fantasy scoring five out of seven times.

Sleeper Options for Guaranteed Prize Pools (GPP)

  • GPPs are far different than 50/50 contests, head-to-head games and even Triple Ups in that you need cheap players with high ceilings, the boom-or-bust types, to pair with your high-priced studs.

Roy Helu – $4,000 vs. St. Louis – Helu has scored twice in the past three games – both through the air – racking up 16 points in those two games. He doesn’t have great upside considering he’s blocked by Alfred Morris, but he’s the clear passing-downs back for Washington and is averaging 11.7 yards per catch on 14 catches in the three games of his last four that he was used more than sparingly in.

Carlos Hyde – $3,900 at Oakland – Hyde hasn’t done much this season, but you can’t ask for a better matchup than against Oakland. Hyde has scored twice in his past four games, and Oakland has allowed 16 touchdowns to running backs in just 12 games. He’s outplayed Frank Gore in their past two games despite fewer touches, and I do think the Niners’ coaches are going to give Hyde a heavier load later in the season and/or the playoffs. So we’ll have to hope it starts Sunday.

Previous post

2014-15 Fantasy Basketball: Sizzlin' and Fizzlin' -- Week 6

Next post

2014 Fantasy Hockey Daily Fix, December 2nd